The Bickering B's
by BnBfanatic
Summary: The "B's" are of course;"Booth and Bones" - Missing scene set after Brennan tries to "fix" Booth's back at start of the epi. I thought it would be funny to write the hospital scene that we weren't privy to. Might be a 3 shot unless reviews warrant more!
1. CRRAACCKKK!

**"****The Bickering B's"**

**MISSING SCENE at the beginning of the "Princess And The Pear" episode. **

_**Scene begins in Booth's apartment – 7:00 am - Brennan has already been talked into giving Booth's back another one of her magnificent manipulations and is in the process of doing such as this missing scene begins. Note: The B's of course stand for Booth & Brennan**_

Booth is talking while Brennan is behind him, her small hands coming up from under his arms, holding his neck and swirling their hips around together in a circular motion - "Believe me, I really am not going to forget. . CRR-AAA-CCCK. . (as Booth's voice then goes up about three octives). . . thisss..." his eyes widen in surprise of a new, sharper pain, he freezes in place. Something didn't feel right about his back now – in fact, something felt seriously. . . WRONG.

Brennan senses it too, that something is wrong, different from when she adjusted him in the past. "Booth?" she says as she eases her hands out from their position behind around his neck – noticing he is frozen in place.

"Booth? - say something...anything...are you alright? Pause - C'mon Booth answer me, you are making me nervous!" she cries out, to which Booth finally responds, "Uh-oh...oh my gosh,. . .ohmygosh, ohmygosh ohmygosh. Help get me over to the couch, fast!" he says, his voice betraying the unbelievably worse pain that he is now in.

Brennan quickly moves her hands to around Booth's firm waist and half carries him to the couch, trying to support him as best she can. "Booth what's wrong, you have to tell me, or, or I am calling an ambulance immediately." she said, knowing that would get his attention. "Where does it hurt the most?" she asked, as she helps him to a reclined position, getting him on his back on the couch w/ his knees bent upwards to take the pressure off his spine and disks.

"NO!" Booth exclaims, "No way – why would you call an ambulance? Don't call one or I swear to God I will find a way to leave here before they get here, even if I have to crawl out in order to do it!" he threatens.

"Okay, okay," Brennan replies, "I won't – but I need you to talk to me then and tell me what's wrong so I can better assess the situation. I feel bad Booth, reeaally bad. I hurt you didn't I?" then before he can answer her, she adds, "I TOLD you I didn't want to do it, that you should see a Specialist! But no, you had to turn that ridiculously effective charm of yours up to full blast and give me that puppy dog smile that you know I can't resist!" this really is **your** fault she finally declares.

"MY fault!" Booth argues, "MY fault, now just how do you figure this is MY fault?!" he yells, then stops. . . as even raising his voice causes him increased agony, "Ok, I guess maybe I did force you a little bit." he states as he closes his eyes tightly as if trying to shut himself off from the immense pain he now feels in his low back, just below his waist line.

"Yes Booth, that is exactly what you did, you practically forced me." she responded, trying to convince herself that she was not fully responsible for hurting her Partner and friend worse.

Now, c'mon, we're getting you to the Hospital – **now." **she exclaims, "You are probably going to need an MRI to check for a slipped disk or other problems that can provoke the kind of pain you appear to be in now."

"Alright, alright," he conceded, "But right now the thought of getting from this couch to your car, sounds worse than getting tortured again as a Prisoner Of War! In fact, if I had a choice, I would probably have to go with the POW."

Brennan rushed over to the freezer in Booth's old fashioned, or as he called it – 'classic' – refrigerator, and pulled out one of the ice packs she knew he had in there – used for previous injuries that each of them had obtained at one time or another. She had some in her freezer as well, for the same reason.

"Okay Booth hold on a second, I am going to place this ice pack on your low back and then I will tie it around your waste with one of your ties." As Booth started to whine about how his ties were expensive, some even made of fine silk, he complained. "Booth, for Pete's sake! I will BUY you another tie. Now, can you help me by lifting up your shirt?" she asked.

"Okay, thanks Bones." he said, as he then grunted in pain trying to do as she asked. "Oh, and can you help me get into some sweats?" he asked her in the almost childlike, sweet voice he sometimes used when he was hurt and Bones was helping him.

"Yeesss, I will help you put some sweats onnn." she answered, slightly grinning at how helpless her Partner could be when hurting. That was part of his charm she supposed.

Approximately 15 minutes later, they were struggling against each other trying to get him to the car. They had to move painfully slow, (no pun intended) because with each cautious & pain filled step, Booth was breathing in & out through tightly clenched teeth, not unlike a pregnant woman doing Lamaze breathing during the contractions of labor.

She finally got him into the back of her SUV so he could lay down, bend his knees again, and keep the ice pack in place on his injury.

Within minutes, she was pulling up to the emergency entrance to the closest Hospital, where thankfully the Doctor whom had worked on Booth before, was positioned. She just hoped he was working today because it would be easier than breaking in a new Dr. - one unfamiliar with Booth's dangerous lifestyle and lengthy list of previous injuries and X-rays.

As Brennan ran around to help Booth, a hospital Paramedic saw the man in the back seat looking as though he could barely move. He then grabbed an empty stretcher from behind his nearby ambulance that he had just finished prepping after bringing in a heart attack victim only minutes before.

He proceeded to bring it alongside the open SUV door and starting to assist Brennan in getting the man into the ER. Booth saw the stretcher and immediately balked, "Oh-ho ho no. No way." he said firmly, "No way am I getting on that thing. No, you just go on and get me a wheelchair or something and I might agree to get into that."

Brennan knew that Booth must be in severe pain to even agree to a wheelchair." so when she spotted two of them sitting near the exterior entrance to the ER, she ran over to get one - and pulled it up to her car, then pushing the stretcher away while she ignored the complaints of the Paramedic whom was still saying it would be best in the event of a spinal injury, to be placed on a backboard and transported on a stretcher.

The man might as well have been invisible the way Brennan all but ignored him. She was too focused on her immediate task at hand, getting her injured partner inside for treatment – as quickly as possible.

The Paramedic finally resolved to helping her by supporting most of Booth's muscular weight, but once he was in the chair, Brennan again somewhat pushed the medic aside – pushing the wheelchair herself, in through the automatic doors and into the ER.

"GeezzzSlowdown there Bones!" You already injured me once, I don't need you to finish me off!" Brennan stopped dead in her tracks causing Booth to uncomfortably jerk forward slightly, yelling out with his loudest grunt yet! "Bones, what the. . .?!!"

"Booth, do you really think I meant to hurt you? Do you really look at this as – me. . . injuring you?!"

She looked more sad than angry, "I am sure if you weren't in so much pain, you would clearly recall you all but forcing me to fix your back, what with your puppy dog charm - that can be quite frustrating to me when you do that you know. Because you know I can't resist that. I swear Booth, sometimes I think Parker is more mature!" she concluded.

By this point, many heads in the waiting room had turned to see where the sudden bickering was coming from – some of the people actually chuckling in amusement as this was the most entertaining thing to happen in the ER waiting room, during the 2-3 hours that some of the less critically injured patients waited to finally be seen.

"Okay, Bones, first next time please warn me that we will be coming to a **screeching **halt before you practically jerk me right outta the chair and **paralyze** me! And second, I'm sorry, that was a bad choice of words on my part, I know you didn't intentionally cause my back to go into spasm and get worse. Okay? I'm apologizing, now can we please just get moving again - SLOWLY – and just get this thing over with?" he said noticing the audience they had now accrued.

Brennan quietly started pushing the wheelchair towards the Admittance desk but then, not being able to resist getting the last word as she always had to have, she added "Apology accepted. . . and I'm . . .well I'm sorry too. I'm sorry I stopped so fast and caused you more pain, and I'm sorry that my normally safe technique wasn't as successful as it has been in the past. But next time I tell you no, and that you need to see a Specialist, I need you to promise me that you will do what I say – no more trying to 'coerce' me just so you can get your way - alright?".

"Alllriiight," replied Booth reluctantly, "I promise, no more of the Booth charm, no more puppy dog eyes, no mo. . ."

"Okaaay Booth, that's enough . . . I GET it!" Brennan said as she smiled widely in amusement of her silly friend. She knew Booth wasn't able to see her from his position in the chair or she would have kept her smile hidden away. She couldn't very well let him see the effect he had on her, or that she loved his charm and his puppy dog eyes. She knew very well he would not stop using those adorable traits of his, to get his way, she also knew they worked on her every time!

_**TBC...**_

_**A/N - I will probably just go to the point where Brennan goes into the ER cubicle with him, then leaves when he goes off for his MRI so she can get to work. So this will prob be a 2-3 shot.**_


	2. Emergency Room!

******The Bickering B's**

_Continued..._

******Chapter 2**

Booth and Brennan are now in one of the ER cubicles after Brennan used her clout to get him in faster, She had called the Agency on the way to the Hospital letting them know Booth was on his way to the hospital and was unable to work. She requested that Agent Perotta be assigned to work on the new case that they were supposed to be working, which was the reason Brennan had gone to Booth's place, his place was closer to the crime scene where the new gruesome body had been discovered.

That was how Booth and Brennan determined where they would meet up for each new case. If the crime scene had been closer to Brennan's home, Booth would have gone to her place to get her.

The Nurse had given Booth one of the Hospital gowns, telling him to remove his shirt and put it on. As soon as she left the room Booth looked at Brennan saying, "Nope, that's ugly, I am NOT putting that on. I would rather sit here and freeze with my shirt off. Besides, I can barely move my arms without my back spasming worse!" he complained in obvious agony.

"Booth, will you stop being such a – child? It's not _that_ ugly for one thing" she said, "and for another – you can't just sit here with no shirt on! Come on, let me help you." she said as she started unbuttoning his shirt. She had already removed his tie while he laid on his couch at home, that was the tie she used to hold the ice pack in place.

As Brennan had just unbuttoned the last button (with Booth just staring at her face the entire time) and she was just about the ease it off his shoulders, Booth said, "Gee, ya know Bones, if you wanted to strip my clothes off, you could have just asked me – you really didn't need to hurt me first. I mean, ******I'm** really not ******into** that kind of thing - but hey, whatever knocks your socks off I always say."

"Uh, Booth?" Brennan said inquisitively.

"Yesss Bones?" Booth said, raising his eyebrows and flashing her his half-smile.

"******Shut up**." she reprimanded.

Thankfully the Doctor, the one they had requested, Dr. Patell, walked through the door just in time to save them from where ever that conversation was leading them.

"Oh good, hello Dr. Patell." Brennan greeted him. "Yeah, hey Doc." Booth said.

"Well, to what to I owe the honor of seeing you two again today? The Dr. asked, and just as Booth opened his mouth to respond, Brennan took over - "Booth hurt his back, and from what I can determine, it's pretty bad."

She continued before Booth could stop her, "I had initially noticed that his gait was off and it appeared to be from a strain of his anterior longitudal ligaments.

"Uh yeah Doc, and that was ALL that was wrong. . . what she just. . .said. Yeah, that is UNTIL she tried to** paralyze** me!"

"Booth, I did NOT try to **paralyze** you, and I would appreciate it - if you would stop saying that!"

"Yeah, yeah okay Bones, okay - simmer down. So Doc, let's forget about what made it worse (as he looked out of the corner of his eye, towards Brennan) and just figure out how to make it ******better**!" Okay? Can you do that?" Booth asked.

"Hmmm, WOW." the Dr. stated, "I see that you two haven't changed from the last time I saw you – just 3 weeks ago, after your kidnapping and subsequent injuries Agent Booth. You two are still bickering like 2 love struck teens! Any chance your worsening back problems are perhaps related to the explosion that you were injured by? That caused ******quite** an impact on your body." he concluded.

"Nah," Booth answered, "I just fell asleep wrong on the couch last night, watching the Hockey game on TV – and that's all that did it, let's not complicate things by tying it back to th. . . anything else." Booth stated firmly.

"I don't know Booth, he could have a point." Brennan piped up. "You did get hurt when that C4 went off, and some injuries don't show up until later, isn't that right Dr. Patell?"

"Yes, that could very wel. . ." the Dr. began to reply - "Whooaa there now you two, hold on! Don't go gangin' up on me & trying to convince me that** this** had ANYthing to do with that. . . _other_ thing." Booth countered, not even wanting to say out loud just what the other "_thing_" was, which was nothing less than a near death experience in his mind.

"Now look, are we gonna focus here and run some kind of test or something? Or do I have to go find another Doctor?" Booth asked, clearly agitated.

"Okay Agent Booth, let's calm down and I need to check you out first and test some of your reflexes and such. Then I am going to send you to Imaging for X-rays AND an MRI of your lumbar spine. That will tell us exactly what we are dealing with here. It could very well be a slipped disk but you need not worry, that usually doesn't require surgery in every instance."

"Surgery?! Did you just say, Surgery?!" Booth hollered – then regretted the action as it completely jarred his spine. "OWW!!" he cried out.

"Booth," Brennan said as she gently laid her hand on Booth's shoulder, "It's okay Booth, let's not go there, think positive – this is going to be a minor injury and easy to fix without surgery, okay?" she said as she looked up into his brooding eyes and smiled at him.

"Okaaay," Booth replied, unable to resist her own puppy dog look and charm smile. As she had stated about his earlier charm, hers was also effective!

He then kept quiet allowing the Doctor to finish checking his reflexes, testing the strength in his arms and fingers, all of which can be affected by the pinching of a nerve in the back, caused by pressure from a herniated or slipped disk.

Then the Dr. finally spoke up once finished with his initial exam - "Okay, I suspect Agent Booth, that you do most likely have a herniation of one, possibly two of your inter-vertebral disks. If I had to guess as to what level(s) your injury is contained to, I would venture to say approx the L3/L4 disk and possibly including the disk at the L4/L5 level. Unfortunately, you are in the age range at which Disk Degeneration starts to make it's presence known."

"But," he continued, "Don't let that depress you because 7 out of 10 people end up with some level of disk degeneration through either hereditary factors, and/or from past injuries."

"I am sure you would both agree that you have seen your share of injuries in your lifetime Seeley," the Doctor stated, "And I have only been seeing you for the last 3 years!"

_**TBC...**_

_I will soon get to the part where Booth is first given pain meds, and show the scene we didn't get to see, where he tells Bones that the strong meds "make the furniture feel friendly" - ?_


	3. FBI Agents DON'T Wear Girdle's!

******TBB's Chapter 3**

_Continued..._

Back in ER Exam Room:

_Note: Director Cullen is still Booth's direct boss in my story because I miss his father-like character. I wish they would bring him back to the show for good!_

Brennan has been watching the intense amount of pain that was etched in her handsome Partner's face - and seeing it worsen whenever he moved, or even took a deeper breath than his injured spine would allow.

"Dr. Patell? Brennan inquired, "Don't you have something you can give him for

the pain? I mean look at him, it's obvious how much he is suffering right now, and if you will need him to be still for tests, I would think it would be easier to do that if he isn't in so much agony."

Aaahhh that was the Bones he knew and loved thought Booth, always taking charge and telling everyone what they should be doing. It must come from her background in teaching Grad students like she does, to where now her telling people what they should be doing, was second nature.

Booth didn't like the affect that some drugs seemed to have on him, but at this point – and in this kind of pain - he could probably be easily persuaded to take just about ANYTHING!

"Yes Dr. Brennan, of course." the older, pleasant looking Doctor replied. He then asked his assisting Nurse, whom had entered the room a few minute ago, to get the Agent a high does of Vicodin along with another medication called Soma, which was a potent Muscle Relaxant.

"Then," the Dr. continued, "Agent Booth I can also give you a local injection near where the worst of your pain is. Now this injection will not enter into the disk space but that is a type of scheduled injection that we can discuss if we determine that you have any kind of herniation or pinched nerves. These are called "Epidural Injections" however, they are not administered in the same fashion that say, a woman in labor, would be given."

"Some people find the injections can provide them with months of complete pain relief. But for now, let's get you over to our Imaging department where I am scheduling you for a series of lumbar X-rays and also, an MRI of the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine, including the Sacrum and the Sacroiliac Joints."

Booth simply stared at the Doctor for a minute with his mouth slightly ajar, "Yeah. . .uh, Doc. . . now uh, how about again in ENGLISH this time?!" he said - slightly frustrated over these arrogant Medical people that he swears, just want to show off by using medical terms that no lay person could comprehend 100%!

"Oh, my apologies," the Doctor replied, "Basically just tests that will provide me with films of your spine including all vertebrae and disks, starting from the middle of your back - right about here. . ." he said as he pointed to the area between Booth's shoulder blades, ". . .to well, basically all the way down your spine to the very bottom - which is what we refer to as the 'Sacrum'."

"Okay, is that more clear? He asked the Agent. "Yes Doc, thank you." Booth replied, "Well, let's get this over with!." Booth finished.

Dr. Patell, nodded in agreement, wrote up the request for exactly what tests he needed Imaging to run and handed them off to the Medical Assistant. She then went out to her station to call Imaging and inform them of the ordered tests.

"Okay so, Agent Booth," the Dr. began but then added, "and Dr. Brennan, our Radiology Department has been extraordinarily busy today, booked with back to back MRI's & such. We will try to get you accommodated as soon as possible but you will probably have an estimated 30 minute wait until one of the MRI machines is available for you. But they may be able to get your X-Rays done during that waiting period since we have more X-ray machines."

"I won't be able to get the films and subsequent reports back from Radiology until later this morning or early afternoon. So I will call you at that time Agent Booth and let you know your results"

"However, I am still going to inform you of a tentative treatment plan and some necessary restrictions that I need you to follow, based on what I suspect is causing your pain."

Brennan looked over at her Partner while the Doctor was still in the middle of his lengthy speech. It was becoming very apparent that the meds Booth had taken approx 15 minutes ago, were starting to take affect. His shoulders were slumped down slightly as if he didn't have the energy to even hold himself up all the way. His eyes were slightly glazing over as he just sat there on the exam table, **staring** at the Physician with a wide-eyed & completely blank expression on his face. Not only was he not moving or speaking, he wasn't even blinking!

As Brennan observed this, the corners of her mouth started to turn up in utter amusement over seeing Booth like that. She struggled not to laugh out loud as she watched him and realized that, not only did he **act**almost childlike when he was hurting, but in this medicated state he was in, he now also **looked** the part as well!

She finally had to look back towards the Doctor as her resolve to keep from laughing at Booth's drugged appearance was faltering.

"So I want you to keep this belt on at all times," Brennan heard as she tuned back in to the sound of the Dr.'s voice, "I will show you how to put it on so that it's in the most supportive position. This will help take some of the pressure off your disks since my suspicion is, that you have one or more disk herniations. Although your reflexes and symptoms do not indicate a pinching of the S1 Nerve Root – which is a **good **thing."

"Yeah, well thanks Dr. Patell – I'm sure that is all fine and dandy but uhhh. . . I gotta tell ya, I ain't wearin' no...girdle!" Booth said, rejecting the notion back to the Doc.

"Booth, that is NOT a girdle," Brennan corrected him, "In fact, extensive research has been done on these Sacral Support belts and the results show them to be ver-ry effective."

"Yeah Bones, thaaat's great. So what you're telling me is, that it's an effective girdle." was Booth's sarcastic response as he rolled his eyes.

"Look people, I'm a Special Agent for the United Stated Federal Bureau of Investigation, and WE - DON'T - WEAR - ******girdle's**!!" Booth stated firmly.

"Okay Booth, how about a compromise? Okay? Just as a favor to me? Your Partner?" Brennan started to ask him, "Let's say that you just wear it then, only in the privacy of your own home? Okay? Could you do that for me? Then NO one needs to know except ******you**...and ******me**."

As Booth glared at Bones, out of the corner of his eye, like it was some kind of trick that she was trying to play on him, as he was getting more and more _goofy,_ the more his pain medication took effect. He then responded after considering her suggestion, "Ohhh, I get it, a Paart-ner thing? Just like when I asked you to let your Da-ad work at the Jeffersonian - so he could enhance Parker's education??

"Yes Booth," Brennan replied, pleased with herself, "Yes, ex-aaactly like thaat - Quid Pro Quo, remember?" she added.

"Yeeaah. . ." replied her rather doped up Detective, "I know what thaat meeaanns!!" He said now pleased with his own self!

"Okay then let's get moving and get you to Radiology." Brennan told him before he could change his mind about this little "belt" agreement. "Dr. Patell, thank you. I appreciate all of your help and was there anything else you need to instruct him so I can make sure he complies?"

"It was my pleasure Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth. But, yes I will continue. I will be giving you some prescriptions for more pain pills and muscle relaxants, and I will also write a prescription for a few sessions of Physical Therapy - which is also quite helpful in relieving the pain and strengthening the Paraspinal Muscles that support the Spine."

"And Agent Booth, I am afraid I am going to have to put you on strict bed rest for the duration of the week. Your job is too active and would put you at risk of a possible rupture to one or more of your disks. But if I discover when I get your results back, that your disks are not in immediate danger of rupture, then I will release you for at least desk duty for the week."

"Dr. Brennan," the Dr. added, "I trust that you will make sure your Partner obeys my instructions?"

"Yes of course." was her response.

"Now Booth, I will be staying here until you are done with your tests so that I can give you a ride back home, okay?" Brennan stated as she was gathering the prescriptions, the belt and handing Booth his shirt.

"Oohh nooo Bones, I'm sorry but you are NOT taking me home because WE-eee have a CASE!" Booth answered, "I will be just fiiine once these pills kick in and do their thing! We have a new dead body to go investigate!" he said - still grimacing now and then as he spoke.

"BOOTH!" Brennan reprimanded, "I swear - were you even **listening** to what we were just discussing??!" YOU are not going ANY where, but home to **bed**!" she continued, "I have already taken the liberty to contact Director Cullen and I told him you were injured and that I think that Agent Perotta would be a suitable – albeit temporary - replacement, just for this case of course."

"WHAT?!!" Booth started to shout as the ligaments in his back spasmed again in angry rebellion, "Now Bones - why would you go and do something like that without telling me first – hmmm? Can you tell me that?!"

"After all, weren't YOU the one who said when we were skating, that you didn't want things to change between us?"

"Yeeaah. . ." he continued, "you **did**! And. . . also that you didn't want Perotta to be one of the factors involved in splitting us up - . . uh, as Partners I mean . . ." Hmm-mm?" He said, waggling his eyebrows at her.

"Yeah," he proceeded, "I think you did!" he said with a grin.

"Yeah okay Booth," Brennan retaliated, "BUT, you are NOT working **today** and that's final! I will only agree to wait until the Dr. calls you with your test results and then we can discuss your. . . options - but NOT before!"

Booth is then taken via wheelchair, to Radiology for his tests. The duo is finally headed back to Booth's place after being at the Hospital for approx 2 ½ hours.

After Brennan helped him get back to upstairs apartment, which proved to be **quite** challenging with Booth's balance having been greatly affected by the narcotics he was forced to take for the pain. He was still suffering, but at least the pain was at a more tolerable level than it was before the pills!

Brennan finally eased him back down on the couch after he refused to let her put him in his bed. He had insisted that if he was going to be forced to be a prisoner of his own home (Mr. Over Dramatic!), that the TV in his living room was waaay better than the one in his bedroom – after all, it had the 'Picture within a Picture' feature so he could watch Hockey AND Basketball at the same time.

As Brennan came from Booth's kitchen holding a pitcher of water for his coffee table, so he wouldn't have to get up as much. She poured him a glass, then grabbed one of the Vicodin tablets that she had gotten filled at the Hospital Pharmacy while Booth was getting the MRI.

"Booth here, the Dr. said you need to take another one of these as soon as we got you home." she said as she put her hand behind his head to help him take the medication. "And then I think you should take a nap and get some rest. That trip to the hospital and tests and such seems to have taken a lot out of you."

"Okaay Bo-onzz, he said groggily, still feeling the effects from his previous dose, "But ya know something?" he asked.

"Yes, I know a lot of things Booth. Can you be a little more specific?? she said.

"Ya know, these pillls make me feel alll weirrrd." Booth replied.

"Weird how?" Brennan asked – she had to admit it, it was kind of fun for her to see her partner in such a vulnerable state!

"Aaahh - I dunno," Booth replied, "But I'll tell you this, my couch has never felt this. . . friendly before." He said as he closed his eyes for a minute, as if enjoying his - couch. A smile of satisfaction growing across his face.

Brennan could only look at his odd statement in a logical fashion since - she wasn't sure else what to make of it.

And her logical mind decided that since narcotic pain medication can make some people feel overly in tune with their senses. Like when they were under quarantine during Christmas, and Booth, being the only one who reacted to the medication they were given, was unusually fascinated by the little tiny lights on the ceiling.

But it seems that this time, it wasn't his visual senses that were being affected, but rather physical – his sense of touch - that was being affected. Therefore, anything he came in contact with, such as the soft leather couch, felt even better. Softer and more comforting than he would have ever noticed before in a non-medicated state.

"Yeah Booth, I think your couch is ve-ery friendly." she finally said in response rolling her eyes in amusement, unsure of how to even respond to such an odd statement! "Now just rest, I will leave you alone with your, couch, and the rest of your "friendly" furniture, knowing you will be in good hands while I go to work."

"I will call you shortly to see if you got your test results. Or you can call me, either way is fine. Oh, and I put your cell phone on your coffee table, next to the pitcher of water and your prescription bottles."

"Booth, **call me** if you need anything," she said as she opened the door to leave, I will come by later tonight to check in on you." All she received back as a response, was a tired, "Mm-hmmm, kay thankxBone-z."

She smiled at the sight of him finally starting to dose off for a while, and quietly closed to door, locking it behind her. She secretly wished he had 8 more locks on his door, ever since his kidnapping, but she quickly forced the thought out of her head as she headed down the hall.

Poor Booth, she thought, what a rough year he was having. . . broken hand, concussion, being kidnapped and injured only 3 weeks ago, and now this.

He was one tough man to endure all of that and still maintain his sense of humor and energetic persona. Yes, he was one tough man.

_**TBC Yes? or TBC No?**_

_**Realistically I should end this story here since it's supposed to be a missing scene. But I am willing to re-consider depending on what you all want me to do. I can probably be easily persuaded to keep going, I am sure I can think of "something" to keep B & B "busy" ~ wink wink ~.**_


	4. Angela's Advice!

******"The Bickering B's"**

_Continued... _

_**Chapter 4**_

I have to preface this chapter with a brief synopsis"

I had back surgery myself just 2 yrs ago, to repair a 3 level disk herniation (L 3 /4 + L4 /5 and L5 /S1) and though the 'Pear' episode of Bones had some good factual info re: disk problems – it also had some not so realistic parts. My story will be more realistic.

On the Bones episode, they didn't order an MRI - not realistic. Xrays only show bone, not disk material - tho they can tell if the space between ea vertebrae is thinning. But for Bones to look at just his Xray and declare him as being misdiagnosed - not realistic. That may be part of the reason I chose to write this revised episode – cuz it bugged me a little. But I can see that they had to write it with Bones assuming he was misdiagnosed cuz they needed to find a way for Perotta to find them in that awkward position.

Kudos to David Boreanaz' acting! He must either have known someone who had - or he himself had back pain in real life at some point – perhaps from the action involved with fimling a shows like Angel & Bones. Injuries CAN cause scar tissue & soft tissue damage, etc. that can lead to disk probs appearing in your 30's. DB's acting was soooo on the money! He moved & acted exactly like you do when your back is out or herniated! The pain really can be as bad as his was easily! So I will try to show you the more accurate version of his injury. ENJOY!!

_**BnB ~ ~ ~ BnB~ ~ ~ BnB~ ~ ~BnB~ ~ ~**_

**The Bickering B's **

_**Chapter 4**_

Brennan was at the Jeffersonian when she finally received the call from her Partner that she had been anxiously anticipating.

Whilst waiting for the call, it had been all she could do to stay focused on her job. Her mind kept wandering back to worrying about Booth no matter what she did.

Was he still in so much pain? Was he doing as he was told and resting – or laying down more importantly? Was he icing and wearing the Lumbo-Sacral Support Belt the Dr. gave him? Did he take his medication. . . did he need anything. . .????

These never ending questions were robbing her of her ability to think of anything else. Yes, it was definitely hard to concentrate!

In fact, she still could not believe that Agent Perotta had found that UV Stamp on the victim's hand! Normally **Brennan** would have easily discovered that vital piece of evidence!! She would have examined the body much more closely before running off the platform and out to her office. But she was in such a hurry to get to her Computer solely with the intention to do some research on-line in regard to 'disk degeneration' and hernication - so she could be fully informed as to what they were dealing with after hearing the Doctor mention that as a possible diagnosis.

She needed to bettter understand what Booth was going through and what he needed - in order for her to help him get better.

Brennan wanted to repair the damage that she felt in her heart of hearts that she had caused – or at least aggravated! Even though she put on a front to everyone else, that she wasn't at fault in any way whatsoever! She could not allow herself to injure him again , E-V-E-R! She should have done more research or asked him more questions about his symptoms - before just caving in like a smitten little school girl the very second he complimented her with his "Magic Knuckles"speech!!

That mistake this morning – missing the UV Stamp evidence – kept haunting her as well!! If Perotta hadn't noticed the stamp - then Cam may have missed it on her own examination of the tissues. Then she would have proceeded to remove every ounce of flesh from the woman's horribly disfigured body and further jeopardizing the chain of evidence and hence, the case itself!

All because **Brennan** had rushed her own preliminary exam! Brennan didn't MAKE mistakes or rather -oversights- like that!! It made her realize more than ever how much a certain male FBI agent had wormed his way into her mind – and possibly even her heart though she would not admit it - yes he was affecting her way more so than she had even begun to realize!

Her thoughts went back to the phone call from Booth. He had filled her in on what the Doctor told him his test results had confirmed – there was a definite herniation of the disk between the L/3 and the L/4 Vertebrae.

Brennan asked him what further treatment the Physician had prescribed to which Booth decided to go ahead and tell her since knowing her – she would find a way to get a hold of that information on her own. She amazed him at how sneaky and aggressive she could be when she wanted to know something.

The Dr. then told him that his week of complete bed rest was not something that he would tolerate being disregarded or ignored. He had even gone so far as to threaten the Agent with a call to his FBI Supervisor - to enforce the prescribed, mandatory bed rest, ******as well as** the ******rest** of his explicit instructions for the agent's recovery and rehabilitation.

Booth understood that he needed to comply to every word the Doctor was saying if he wanted to avoid future surgery - now that the MRI had confirmed a disk herniation was to blame. Booth also wanted to get back to full & active duty as soon as possible!

**Additional restrictions he needed to comply to were:**

~ _**No lifting of anything heavier than a gallon of milk until told otherwise**_

_**~ Continue wearing the Lumbo-Sacral support belt until otherwise told by his Physical Therapist.**_

_**~ Physical Therapy 3 x per week**_

_**~ Icing the back frequently through out the day**_

_**~ Continue with his medication as was already prescribed**_

_**~ Other acceptable forms of supplemental treatment that were allowed: Acupuncture / Acupressure. Massage therapy, stretching - or better yet, Yoga.**_

A follow up appointment was scheduled for 3 months out, at which time they could determine if any further treatment was required such as, Epidural injections into the space surrounding the disk. Brennan felt a mix of emotions. On one hand she was relieved - that the injury was not something that would require immediate surgery, such as the rupture of a disk.

But, on the other hand - she was also concerned about the results because she knew that herniated disks needed to be taken seriously – or they could lead to a possible rupture if not treated correctly and then require immediate surgery.

Angela went into Brennan's office and sat down across from her – where Brennan still sat doing her research. "Hey Sweetie, have you heard from that sexy, ailing Partner of yours yet? She asked as she winked at her best friend.

"Yes," replied Brennan sounding as though she were ailing herself, "I just got off the phone with him Ang and, he is still in so much pain! He is telling me the opposite but he can't hide it was well as he thinks he does - I can tell!"

Angela, seeing the distress that her gal pal wasn't even trying to hide which was rare, simply stood up, sauntered around the desk, put her arm around Brennan's shoulders and said (with all the compassion she could muster); "Honey, seriously - you really have to stop blaming yourself! This was NOT your fault, nor was this BOOTH'S fault. Even if you hadn't even touched him this morning, his back was already very bad. It is a physical impossibility to actually CAUSE someone's spinal disk to ******herniate******&****even Angela knew that much!

Seriously, you know that better than anyone Bren, with all your degrees and the thousands of hours in your career that you have spent analyzing & evaluating the skeletal structure!"

"There are times that I swear you and Booth could **corner** the market in unnecessary guilt! You two would be better served and more able to help each other, if you would just take a big ole' ERASER so to speak - and eradicate that **dam*ed** LINE of yours!! She exclaimed as she finished her very stern lecture.

Brennan silently absorbed every fact that her wise friend had just presented her with. She stood up, and without saying a word, she just pulled Angela into a tight bear hug. Then pulling away - she finally spoke.

"You know Ang, you are absolutely right. I think I just got caught up in the moment and for some reason all of my logical explanations went right out the window! I needed someone to snap me out of it - so I really appreciate your doing that for me! Now – if you will excuse me, I am going to get started working this case with Agent Perotta, so then I can leave early and go take care of Booth! But as for erasing the line Ang – well. . . baby steps Angela – baby steps!

As Brennan left to go work the case with Perotta, Angela decided to take her lunch hour and put it to better use than simply eating her boring lunch in the break room.

_**At Booth's Apartment - across town. . .**_

Booth was laying on the couch watching his cartoons through his drug induced haze which made them even funnier than usual – when he hears someone knocking on his door using everyone's favorite ole' _musical _toned knock at his apartment door:

KNOCK/_**knock**_ ------ KNOCK_/__**knock**_**/**KNOCK -----_**knock/**_KNOCK

He yells to the unknown visitor - "WHO IS IT?!!" - secretly Booth is still a little unnerved whenever anyone knocked on his door, since the last time that happened he was greeted with a fully charged Taser – zapping him directly in the area near his sternum & causing his knees to buckle underneath him.

Then before he could stop his body from spasming with the unbelievable force that was like nothing he had ever experienced before – the intruder then injected him with something on the side of his neck near his jugular – that rendered him paralyzed within 5 seconds and completely unconscious in under a minute. He thought for a quick second - that if someone were to even attempt to harm him again right now, they would have no need for a taser OR drugs since he was already almost completely incapacitated - just as Bones had stated earlier.

But this time, thankfully he could barely make out the all too familiar squealy voice of Miss Angela Montenegro responding; "******It's just me Booth - ANGELA**!"

"C'MON IN ANG – IT'S OPEN!!" He said unknowingly releases the breath that he hadn't even realized he had been holding in, from the moment he heard the first knock.

Booth had never shared these thoughts before with anyone, not even with Bones, and perhaps one day he might – but truth be told, the detective side of him still felt deep down in his gut - that Heather Taffet - aka The Gravedigger - had _**not**_ acted alone. He felt that she had worked alongside an accomplice. So if his theory was correct then, that would mean that the accomplice - was still out there.

He hadn't shared these his suspicions with anyone, not even Bones. One thing everyone knew about Booth – was that he was extremely perceptive when it came to reading other people. Not only was he good at reading people** in general** – but he was also quite skilled at reading, the ******criminal ****mind**.

So, that talent is what made Booth suspect that Attorney Taffet (he laughed as he realized that Ms Taffet had just given a new and almost LITERAL meaning to the title: _**Criminal **_Attorney!) had an accomplice throughout possibly stemming all the way back to the beginning, but it was also quite possible that she only had an accomplice for her most recent two crimes: Kidnapping Brennan and Hodgins – and then Booth.

He felt she HAD to have had help – at least for sure with kidnapping him! She would have needed another, possibly Male counterpart to assist her in lifting Booth's heavy body – which being unconscious he would have been dead weight - not to mention moving him all over to get him into the topy Sub, not to mention the SHIP!

Too many things about his own case – just hadn't been sitting well with him!

~ ~ ~ Booth's thoughts are snapped quickly back to the present as Angela comes practically **skipping **through the door and into Booth's living room. "Hi there stud! She greeted him with her huge smile turned on full power, "I thought you might need some nourishment right about now since I didn't think you would be up to making anything yourself, from what I heard of your condition!"

"Since I heard you were under strict orders for bed rest, I thought you might appreciate a good home cooked meal!"

"So... **someday** - I will bring you one!" HaHaHa - she added through her own laughter, pleased with herself at her brilliant sense of humor.

"Instead – I have brought you your ver-y favorite sandwich from the Diner, complete with French Fer-ies an' Apple Pi-ie!" she informs him in her sweetest sing/song-y voice. She then places it on his coffee table and leans down to plant a friendly peck on his own warm cheek. Then she plants _herself_ on the edge of his coffee table so that she didn't have to bend down to visit with him – or cause him discomfort by sitting on the couch he was stretched out on.

"Wowww Anngela!" Booth said, looking happier than he did when she first arrived. It was amazing how food perked up some men just as much as if you mentioned sex! "That was sooo niice of yoouu!" he added, his own speech Angela noted, was somewhat slow from the Vicodin.

Then he painfully pulls himself up halfway – which was about all he could handle – he then held that position for a couple of minutes as though he were pondering something. Then, Booth slowly glances over at Angela, looking at her out of the very corner of his slightly squinted eyes – as though suspicious of something - and says, "And - you dooo know that my 'condition' as you called it, is uh, not ******terminal**, right??!"

Angela let out another loud burst of laughter "OF COURSE Booth!" She said, HaHaHa - laughing through each word. "Ohhh ma-an - just howw many of those pills did you **take** my friend?!" she asked him.

Booth just smiled back at her with a lazy grin.

Angela proceeds to take out the salad that she had gotten for herself and then got Booth's food situated for him so they could enjoy their lunch together. She had to admit, it was hard for her to see Booth so obviously suffering, yet trying very hard to not show that to his surprise visitor. He was such a strong man in so many ways.

Then Booth couldn't resist teasing his favorite 'Squint" (next to Brennan of course) - "Okay Angela, no-oww - it's confession time – what is the **real** reason for this unexpected visit – H**mmm**?!"

"Oh come-ON, Geez Leweez Booth, do you already miss interrogating suspects so much even though it has only been a day? That you feel the need to grill lil' ole ME?!!" she said, trying to change the focus back to him.

"No Angela, in fact, I actually did participate in an interrogation today I will have you know! Granted, it was via a video conferencing link, and then he added -as if talking more to himself than to Angela- "Of course that was before PER-Otta shut me down!!" as he caught himself and immediately turned his attn back to Angela.

"Ok Ang – SPILL! Then to **what, **do I honestly owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit? Pardon me for if I don't buy your initial story – that you came to visit me because of my injury" he said as he winked at her.

"Oh al-right Booth! You got me! You are right, maybe I do have one teeny-tiny bit of an ulterior motive!" she caved, "It has to do with. . . well, it has to do with Brennan." she added.

"Brennan?!! What, is she okay? He said starting to panic a bit – I KNEW that little "Smurf" whom she said was 'PRO-tecting her – (then seeing her look of utter confusion he explained – oh that's SWEETS by the way) was only going to lead to trouble!!"

"Whoa there Booth – hey calm down, don't go getting your 'girdle' there - in a twist!" she said. "BRENNAN is FINE!! In fact let me make this clear - I am not here to inform you of any kind of BAD news about her or anyone else. I am here Special A-GENT Booth, to talk to you about that ridiculous 'LINE' you have created – as an iron clad BARRIER surrounding your own heart, as well as Brennan's!!"

Booth was speechless, maybe it was due to the medication he was on, or maybe it was due to his nervousness over where Angela was heading with this little speech of hers. But whatever the reason, he was caught completely off guard by her words.

She continued, "Yeah, look," she said grabbing one of Booth's strong hands, "I understand why you felt compelled to do that, to create that barrier. I understand that Cam's near death after the vicious criminal attack of that awful poison that sprayed all over her after she cut into that corpse. I understand you felt somehow responsible and that you never wanted any kind of similar experience to happen some day with Brennan."

"And, I understand your fear – no matter how irrational – that you and your Partner were getting too close to each other, and that it might cause either one of you to let your guard down and get one or both of you killed!"

"Okay? I get that."

"**Listen Ang -** " Booth tried to stop her – but he was not allowed. "No, Booth - you need to let me finish . . . please?" she added, softening her voice to show her sincerity.

"I see both of you almost every day, and I have watched how you two interact with one another, the unspoken feelings, the looks on each of your faces when the other is not looking. I see it. But I have to tell you that - well that little LINE of yours?" she added, though worded more like a question, than a statement.

"That line - is **starting -** to break down. And if one of you doesn't do something to erase that line permanently – and SOON, then I'm afraid you will BOTH end up getting hurt far worse than you would with that line still being enforced! And when I say 'getting worse' – I am talking about emotionally, NOT physically! I am talking about your . . . well, I am talking about your **HEARTS **dam*it!"

There! She had said it!! She finally told him what she secretly wanted to tell him time & time again!! She knew that both her best friend, Temperance Brennan, and her favorite FBI Special Agent, Agent Seeley Booth, were going to regret it BIG TIME if they didn't take that Godforsaken LINE, and e**liminate **it **FOR-EV-ER**!!

Booth laid his head back on the couch cushion that had become a makeshift pillow. He raised his hand up to his face, massaging his own tight forehead as if it helped him think. "Alright" he finally said, "All I can promise you right now Angela, is that I will think about it. Okay? I will devote specific attention to it, seeing as I don't have anything else to focus on since they won't let me help with the case, he said looking dejected by that statement, and I will think about discussing it with Bones when the time is right."

"Okay?" he asked her.

"OH-Kay!" she replied, "That is al I can ask you to do Booth so listen, I really appreciate you letting me share my little lecture with you and get this off my chest. I have been wanting to talk to you like this for some time, about this very subject and I thank you Sir, for listening." then without thinking - she threw her arms around him giving him the tightest bear hug – totally forgetting alll about his back – that with every little movement, sent agonizing shooting pain down his leg and throughout his back.

"AAAHHHH!!" he hollered – as sweat began to form almost immediately on his upper lip and forehead – just from the amount of intense pain she had just accidentally caused him - his teeth immediately clenching causing the muscles along his chiseled jawline to flex tightly!

"Sorrysorrysorrysorry!!!! Ooohhhh Booooth, I am reeeaaallly - really sorry!! Can I get you some water? Another pill? Some Scotch? Oh, never mind, that's probably not a good idea with the drugs YOU are on!" She said rescinding that last suggestion.

After Booth let out the breath he had once again been holding in, he took a minute while the pain died down, and said, "Angela, it's fine! You don't have to apologize, you just, uh - - caught me off guard. I'm really not that bad." he said – more to try and convince himself of that – than anyone else.

"Yeah okay, sure tough guy, whatever you say." Angela responded as she rolled her eyes in disbelief! "Anyhoo – I should get back to work." she said, "Thanks again Booth and good luck whenever you do decide to have that talk with Brennan!" she – g-e-n-t-ly kissed him on his cheek this time – no hug.

"Thanks for lunch Angela, and for coming by, really – I mean it." Booth told her, smiling though his face was still looking a bit clenched.

A few short minutes later, Booth was once again alone in his quiet home. He popped another pill into his mouth since he had found it was better to keep a steady level in his system, rather than try to play "catch up" to the pain. He then allowed his head to fill with thoughts of Bones. Memories of every defining moment of their partnership AND their relationship.

Maybe Angela was right, it was time to discuss the removal of the intangible barrier that Ang was right about, it was a barrier keeping his heart, at arm's length of Bones' heart – and perhaps it was time that line was – destroyed.

_**TBC . .**___


	5. Sleeptalking

**The Bickering B's **

_Continued . . ._

**Chapter 5 **

When Angela got back to the Jeffersonian after her lunch with Booth – she was feeling quite proud of herself! She was proud because she was successful in her attempt to put that bug in Booth's ear as they say, and get him to start thinking about all the time that he and Brennan were just wasting, by keeping that atrocious line in place!

Now, she just had to plant another seed by having a similar conversation with the more logical half of the dynamic duo!

_**Brennan's Office . . **_

"Hey Bren, you got a sec?"

"Yes, but that is about all I've got. I'm leaving in a few minutes to go meet Agent Perotta at her office, for some reason she wants me to be with her while she observes the video feed that Fisher is going to be sending. He is taping that Sci-Fi Auction over at the Union Center." the tone of her voice revealing her obvious distaste for the pending trip, or rather distaste over being forced to pair w/ Perotta altogether.

"Oh, well – this will only take a minute I promise! I called Booth to see how he was feeling and I ended up dropping by his place to bring him some food. You can end up with a very upset stomach if you don't eat when you take the pain pills he is taking, I know, from when I had my impacted wisdom teeth removed . . . now _that_ was painful!'

Angel knew she was over-explaining the reason behind bringing him lunch, but she also knew that Brennan would find it odd if she didn't state a reason. Brennan seemed to want to be the _only_ one to do things for Booth, it was all too cute, Angela thought.

"Anyway Bren, I just thought you would want to know that, well he doesn't look good at all! I mean he is obviously in a lot of pain and most likely he will try to hide that from you – knowing how you already feel responsible in a way for what happened to him."

Brennan started to argue, claiming that he had _forced_ her to fix his back - so in reality it was really more Booth's _own _fault, than anyone else's."Hon, just go see him later, that's all I'm sayin' - Okay? Regardless of whether it was your fault, his fault or the fault of some two headed alien robot!" she said laughing, trying to get Brennan to lighten up as well.

"Okay Ang," Brennan finally conceded, "I wanted to go there later anyway, to take a closer look at his X-rays. They were able to give him those before we left, but they had to call him with the results of the MRI since those films took longer to develop and had to be looked at by the radiologist.

"Oh good, then you were already planning to go over there later?" Angela confirmed and then continued, "I'm glad because he was more down in the dumps than I have ever seen him."

Angela then left her friend's office feeling satisfied that she had succeeded in getting her over to Booth's place. Now the only thing left was for Booth to do _his_ part and tell Brennan he was tired of the line, that he _himself _had drawn - and hopefully that would be all Brennan would need to hear before she let her own guard down as well.

Oh how Angela wished she could be a fly on_ that_ wall, she thought as she giggled while walking towards her own office.

_**Flash forward a few hours to the end of the work day - as Brennan finally arrives as Booth's door . . .**_

"Booth?! Hey It's just me!" Brennan shouts out as she enters his apartment after letting herself in with the key he had given her that morning when she had brought him back from the Hospital. Brennan had easily convinced Booth to remove that obviously fake rock where he used to hide a spare key, it had been easy to convince him – but only in light of his recent kidnapping.

It was that very attack on him that forced him to admit he was _not _as invincible as he used to think he was. Booth had also realized on his own, after that harrowing experience, that the reason he had even begun to think of himself as invincible, was due to everything he had survived in his life, events that would have easily caused the demise of most people.

His survival of a childhood abundant with abuse and unspoken fear of his own Father, the combats of war - not to mention his time held as a prisoner of that very war, and of course, the narrow misses he had experienced as a Special Agent for the FBI.

Yes, Special Agent Seeley Booth, although _extremely_ resilient - was not by any means, _invincible. _So he had given Bones his spare key that morning at her insistence, so that she could check on him without disturbing him, but also in the event of any future emergencies. He wanted her to not only use the key as needed, but to KEEP the key.

To Booth that was a big deal. In his eyes, you didn't give someone a key to your place, especially not a female – even if she was his partner. There was something very personal about knowing someone could enter your place at anytime. Then again, Brennan had done that in the past anyway – despite not having her own key at the time.

That is ultimately what caused Seeley to cave in and give it to her. That and the heavy duty pain meds he was on, that caused him to be more . . . _frivolous_ than usual.

But Brennan on the other hand, simply saw the spare key as a logical move that made sense from a rational standpoint. More proof of how different the two partners were in the way they viewed, - well, pretty much everything!

**_. . . back to Brennan – now entering Booth's apartment . . ._**

"Booth?! She called out softly in case Booth had fallen asleep, exhausted from not only the medication but also from his body working to heal itself. Brennan casually kicked off her shoes just inside the main door and then proceeded towards his living room, where she then quietly tip toed around the corner. Seeing the TV still on, she quietly made her way to the back side of his leather couch - where Booth had been laying when she left him earlier that day.

She had expected to see him - just as she had left him that morning, but instead what she found was . . . an _empty _couch!

Catching her a little off guard, she decided perhaps he did go into his bedroom to lay down, and just as she started to go toward the hallway where his bedroom was located. She heard something that sounded like it was coming from the floor of his living room!

She came around the couch and there she saw him, sprawled out on the floor right in front of the couch as if he had perhaps, rolled off of the couch and onto the floor below. He was still wearing his "girdle" as he like to call it – causing her to chuckle at the humor of it. Just as she moved to lean down and awaken him, Booth started to mutter, as though talking in his sleep. With this Brennan decided to sit on the edge of his coffee table and observe him, listening closely to try and determine what he was saying.

"Youuu – you better waatch her Per-rottaa!" Brennan barely heard him say, "no one better lay a finger on her! I meeaann it. ..not one piece of her ssilk-eey - haairr better be so much as - out of **place**!!" he threatened, a deep frown starting to appear on his handsome face.

This caused Brennan to perk up, wondering what he meant and of _whom _washe speaking?! She leaned down further, going so far as to get all the way down on the floor, kneeling right above where his head was laying – simply in her efforts to hear him better - as he was mumbling so quietly.

"Got that P'rottaa?! She better not have one mmark on her creea-mmy so-oft skin the nex'time I seee her!! Or, I swear to youuu I willll . . . " - then Booth paused for a minute.

"You will WHAT Booth?! Or you'll _what_?!!" Brennan didn't even realize she had all but yelled those words out loud – and, extremely close to Booth's face!

Just then, having been startled and awakened by Brennan's outburst - Booth's eye's sprang open as he instinctively started to jump upwards, as if in danger or something – while at the same time Brennan was still leaning over him trying to listen to hear him finish his sleep-talking threat to Perotta.

**BAM** – their two foreheads collided – and HARD!!

"YEE-OWWWW!!" screamed Booth as not only his_ head_ was throbbing from shock and pain, but the sudden jarring of his injured spine that the collision of skulls had also resulted in – made him scream out even louder. "SON-OFA . . . GEEZ BONES?!! What the h3ll are you DOING?!!" he hollered - once he saw who's head had all but dented his _own_!

Brennan toppled backwards from the sheer force of being caught off guard by Booth's sudden and forceful rising! OWWW BOOTH! She herself hollered – holding her forehead in agony. The Agent and the Scientist both sat there for a few seconds, stunned - unsure over what had just happened. Booth was again laying flat on the floor to which he had arisen from, and Brennan sitting back on her haunches. After both of their pain had subsided, and the shock of what had just happened had worn off, Booth was the first to speak.

"Geez Bones! What on earth were you doing? Did you think I was dead and you were just checking to see if I was breathing?!" He said rather loudly, "Or - were you trying to sneak in a kiss before I woke up?!" He added knowing this would really set her off.

"What?! No Boo**- **NO, I was NOT trying to _**kiss**_ you!" She retaliated, "If I had wanted to_ kiss _you Seeley Booth, I would have kissed you **way** before now – and - when you were CONscious!!" she yelled back at him.

"Ohhh, then I see-ee – so is that like when you _tricked _me into kissing you at Christmas time?? Under the, conveniently placed, mistletoe??! Booth said, insinuating she had done that on purpose, and not from some blackmail scheme that _Caroline_ had contrived – which was the explanation Brennan had given Booth the day after that happened.

"Booth, sometimes you just infuriate me!" Brennan replied, angered by his insinuation. "If you MUST know Booth, why I was leaning over you just now, it was because you were talking in your sleep – so . . . so – there!" "Yes," she continued, "That's right, YOU were talking in your sleep -" Brennan stopped realizing this would still look very bad for her – he could still accuse her of being nosy and eavesdropping or something! She thought fast and immediately added some further explanation.

"Yeah, and, and you were _scaring_ me because you seemed to be having a, a nightmare!" she thought ~_yeah that sounds good_~ "Yeah, that's right Booth, a _nightmare_ and, um, well - I couldn't make out what you were saying exactly but . . . I could tell that you sounded scared or – or hurt. So, I was just leaning over to wake you and hoping I didn't startle you when – when you must have heard something because YOU are the one who bolted upward, hitting _my_ head on the way!"

She then just sat there staring at him with huge eyes, waiting to see his reaction, and see if he believed her – well, her _story_.

"Oh." Booth started to respond, not recalling that the dream he had just had - about talking to Agent Perotta, "Well, as a matter of fact, you _did_ startle me!" he said finally, after gathering his thoughts and trying to recall any nightmares he may have had. "And, I don't remember having any – nightmares." Booth added, to which Brennan replied;

"Well Booth – it's a well known fact and research has even proven that, people only recall approximately 28% of all of their dreams on a given week. So, just because you don't remember having one, doesn't mean that you _didn'_t!"

"Okay, okay – let's just call a truce then because now, not only is my BACK killing me, but now my head is too!" Booth said as he started to try pulling himself up using the edge of the coffee table for leverage. "Now, would you help me up?" he asked her, changing the tone of his voice back to that childlike, whimpering tone that he used to get her to help him with something.

"Well what about ME?!" Brennan replied, "My head now hurts too I'll have you know, and I just came here as a nice gesture to check in on you!

"Alright, I'm sorry. . . ARE you okay, seriously?" he then asked her in a very sweet and genuinely concerned tone.

"Yes - I'll live" she answered him – suddenly feeling guilty since she realized that she had lied to him as far as what she had been doing just before their heads collided. She also felt bad for eavesdropping on him in the privacy of his own home. What was happening to her, why was she acting like this?! This was simply irrational behavior she thought, not realizing that Love is what sometimes makes people react in an inrration

"Now, come on, let's get you back up onto the couch. By the way, why were you on the floor in the first place? Did you fall off while you were sleeping?" She asked as she started to put her hands under his arms to help support him as best she could. Booth recalled earlier when he had been trying to walk while talking to Brennan on the phone, while also trying to find his pain pills. He actually laid down on the floor just because he was closer to the floor so it took a _lot_ less effort! He then fell asleep watching his (& Parker's) favorite cartoon channel.

But he wasn't about to tell Brennan that version – so he decided to go with her theory instead. "Yeah, that must be what happened, I must have fallen off."

"Hmmm, well that _had_ to have caused you significant pain Booth. I'm very surprised that it didn't wake you up." Brennan retaliated, "But, I'll have to take your word for it – this time! Then she thought, wait - what if he _had_ slept through that.

"Booth, just how many of those pain pills are you **taking**?! If you were in a deep enough sleep that you _**didn't**_ wake up – then I'm going to assume that you are over medicating! That's not good Booth!" she lectured.

Booth, who was finally was back in his prone position on _top_ of his leather couch, with help from Bones of course, he decided he did not have the energy to keep going with his own lies. "Okay, okay calm down Bones will ya? I may not have been exactly truthful when I said I must have fallen off the couch, okay?" he caved in and admitted.

"If you must know, I had gotten up to try to stretch my legs and walk around a little – and I was also trying to find where my pain pills were. But then my dam* back betrayed me – causing my knees to buckle and I ended up having to crawl over to get to my pills - that I had finally found on the coffee table behind my bowling pin. Okay? Are you happy now? And then," he continued, "- then I was too worn out to make it back up onto the couch so I just _stayed _on the floor - and well I, eventually fell asleep - okay? So now can we please save the lecture on taking too many pills, please? Because I didn't!"

Brennan had squeezed her rear end onto edge of the couch by where his legs were, she was placing the couch pillow back between his knees to better align his injured spine. "Okay Booth, I won't lecture you on the dangers of over-medicating, but if you think you aren't still in trouble for lying to me earlier today when you tried telling me you were better, _**and**_ for walking around trying to do things that your Dr. specifically told you_** not **_to do – well then you've got another thing coming!"

The entire time Brennan was focused on getting Booth back up onto the couch, getting his legs situated, and reprimanding him, she had been so focused on those tasks that she hadn't even noticed that Booth was just watching her out of the corner of his eyes, taking in the sight of her beauty and silently relishing in the fact that she was here with him, in his home once again. The more he watched her, the more he realized that Angela was right! It was _beyond_ time to rid themselves of that gosh-forsaken line – a line that he himself had drawn between them!

Just then, Brennan stood up to go get him another ice pack and pitcher of water – leaving Booth more time to think.

~ The time was _**now**_ he agreed - but the question was - _**how**_?! _How_ was he going to approach her about the subject – and more importantly, _how_ would she react? ~

While he pondered his predicament and tried to come up with a plan, he hadn't noticed Bones who had been standing near the edge of his kitchen, and she stood there just staring at Booth. She couldn't help focusing on how good looking he was, she had merely used the ice and water as an excuse to get away from him. She needed a moment to collect herself and get her senses back in order.

She was a little frazzled after first finding him on the ground which alarmed her. To then hearing him talk in his sleep to Perotta, about a female that sounded a lot like Brennan herself. To his magnificent scent that seemed to be a perfect mixture of his expensive cologne, mixed with his musky after shave, the spicy smell of his soap, and the vanilla smell of his carefully selected hair products - oooh she could just eat him UP!!

So both of them were equally tortured at that moment – as they each stayed in their respective corners for a few more minutes. Booth tortured by trying to find the courage to talk to her about their – relationship.

And Bones tortured by trying not to cave into the intense desire she felt for him at that moment, since she knew he would just bring up that blasted LINE again – forcing them both to go take another one of the hundreds of cold showers they had each been forced to take - whenever they had spent any length of time together whether they were on a case, or in danger, or just spending casual, leisure time together.

**What will happen next? Will they finally agree to take that intangible line and agree to cease it's very existence?! Will they finally end up together – as a couple?! **

**STAY TUNED TO FIND OUT!!!**

_**TBC . . .**_


	6. Chili Vs Mac n Cheese

**The Bickering B's**

_Continued . . _

**Chapter 6**

_**Booth's Room . . .**_

Brennan, not wanting Booth to catch her just standing by his kitchen staring over in his direction, she finally moved into the living room. She put the ice pack down for a minute and picked up the X-rays to look at them closer herself. She knew the Doc said the MRI showed a disk herniation, but having not been able to view those films herself, these X-rays were the only thing she had to go by at the moment.

"Booth," she said - more in an attempt to give herself a little more time to decide how to handle her finally realized attraction for Booth that for some reason had chosen now become undeniably strong, "I can see on these X-rays that a couple of your vertebrae are out of alignment and if they have been like that for very long, that can easily affect the way you move and walk, and hence can put abnormal pressure on your disks."

"Okay Bones, what are you getting' at?" Booth asked her.

Well, I think that if you just let me try one more time, to re-align your spine, then you will have a faster recovery where your disk is concerned, **and** your physical therapy will be more successful as well."

After Booth balked for a bit, afraid to experience a repeat of that morning's events and heaven forbid risk causing any more pain than that which he was already in. He finally caved into her request - that is _after_ she used his own words back at him. The one where he mentioned her magic knuckles and about her being the only one that he trusted to take his back and

- Crr-Ack it - than anyone else.

He got up off the couch with her help, they got into position, and once again they began the very provocative rotation of their conjoined hips. If Bones wanted to take her mind OFF of her intense desire for Seeley Booth, this was the WRONG way to go about it! Of course she realized this fact far too late in the game.

Booth at the same time, was on one hand concerned about this making him even worse, yet at the same time, he felt his body heating up just from her touch alone, and from the feeling of her own warm, firm body pressed up against his back side. Ohh, this isn't good he thought – well, it was GOOD, but he knew it wasn't good in the fact that it was arousing him in a way he had _not_ expected!

Then all of a sudden - they both heard a knock at his door and as Booth yelled out to the person to come in, but then Both he and Bones suddenly looked like the deer that was caught in the headlights of an oncoming Semitrailer - when it was Agent Perotta who came around the corner. She was carrying a bag of something that actually smelled really good.

Once the verrry uncomfortable Perotta spotted the partners in this – uh rather, intertwined position, she immediately apologized, set what she now informed them was homemade chili, on Booth's kithcen table, and was in a rush to get out and leave the two to – well, to whatever it was they were doing!

When Booth quickly spoke up in an attempt to explain. "Wait, Perotta, seriously, you don't have to leave. We weren't doing anything bad, Bones was just helping me to, um . . . warm up my still back muscles so I could do some stretches."

"Yeah, well. . ." Perotta replied in a very dry tone of voice, "_Somethin'_ is warm and stiff alright, that's for sure." she said as he looked at his sweat pants that were untied and barely staying up around his waist. "Uh, yeah." she continued, "No. I um, have somewhere I have to be so uh, I really can't stay anyway." she said - just making something up in her efforts to make a faster escape!

Booth was mortified when he realized what Perotta had been talking about – as so he reached over to grab a nearby couch pillow, to hold in front of . . . _himself_ .

Brennan had released her hold on Booth but made no attempt to leave herself, or even move from her spot near Booth. ~_Great_~ she thought, ~what the h3ll was _she_ doing here?! _I bet her chili isn't anywhere __**near**__ as good as the Mac & Cheese that __**I**__ make for him!~_

But then she said aloud, "Well thank you Agent Perotta, that was a very . . . considerate of you. Well, sorry you have to run – so I'll just see you tomorrow then!" she said - though she was actually not sorry at all that the pretty blonde agent _appeared_ to be in a hurry.

"Yeah Perotta, that was really very nice of you to stop by to check up on me _and_ bring me chili, I _**love**_ chili! But, you gotta stay and have some – really." he only said that as a normal reaction to his uncomfortable & embarrassing realization that she had caught him in almost a full . . Salute, if you will.

Brennan was a little surprised to hear Booth all but encouraging the female agent to stay, but she quickly reasoned that it was just Booth's nature to be nice to people, especially women in general. She hadn't noticed what Perotta had just been witness to - where Booth's _alert anatomy_ was concerned.

"No really," said Perotta, as she was nervously heading towards the exit, "I have somewhere I have to be, really, I'm running late as it is. So, uh - Booth, I will touch base with you tomorrow to see how you are uh, doing. Um, okay then, so uh, feel better and um, **rain check** on the chili!" she yelled from the doorway, "Okay, bye."

With that, the door closed behind her after she had all but ran out through it!

Booth didn't see the smile of satisfaction that Brennan was sporting on her stunning features. But he had to admit, Perotta's timing did kind of suck – and he found himself glad that she had to be somewhere. Booth swore to himself that if anyone else came knocking on his door tonight, he wasn't letting them in!

He was now able to place the couch pillow back in it's proper resting place on the couch, then turning to Brennan said, "So where were we? Do you want to try that again Bones?" He asked her politely, knowing she had really wanted to help him somehow – to try and repair what she felt responsible for – though she would never admit.

"No Booth, I think your back, and you, have probably been put through enough for one day. Perhaps we will try it tomorrow after your back spasms subside a little more."

"Oh, okay. So I suppose you have to leave now too, huh?" Booth said with sad disappointment in his voice.

"What? No Booth, I don't have anywhere else I have to be, or want to be!" she was happy to declare, in fact initially my plan was to cook you some dinner _myself_, I even brought the ingredients with me in my car - for my Macaroni and Cheese you love so much. Plus - I had also rented a couple of those old movies you got me so hooked on! But, now that you have chili, that you said you _also_ love - . . ."

Booth cut her off immediately before she could say another word, "Chili?! Instead of Macaroni & Cheese made by the infamous Dr. Bones Brennan?! You've gotta be kidding!"

Hearing those words come out of Booth's mouth, was pure music to her ears! Brennan suddenly felt like a teenager, bubbling with excitement over a first date with her biggest crush!

She practically skipped out to her car to get the items she had brought with her. She didn't care if Perotta was lying about having to leave, but she now knew one thing for sure – that she _**herself**_ was the one with whom Booth wanted to spend his own time with, and SHE would be the one nursing him back to health!

She had a smile on her face the entire time she was gathering her bags from the car, bags that included a certain Eucalyptus Massage Oil that she had planned to use this on him later. This would not only help to get his spasmed back to loosen up easing some of his pain, but also help _her_ to feel less guilty - since she still felt that she was partially responsible for his pain.

So logically she felt that it was only right that she do anything she could to help make him feel better, and if that included rubbing a warm ointment deeply into the tight ligaments and musclesthat supported his toned and strong back, then that is just what she was going to do!

_**TBC . **_**.****.**** This story isn't over yet even though this chapter sounds like it is!! I am going to get them together even more!!**


	7. Biological Urges

**The Bickering B's**

_Continued . . ._

**Chapter 7 **

Brennan had served Booth his Macaroni and Cheese in the living room since it would have been impossible for him to sit at the table to eat. Once they had finished dinner and had watched part of a movie, Booth's back had really stiffened up – making it feel worse than it had felt all day. Dr. Patell had even warned him that his back would most likely get a little worse before it began to get better, but Booth had just blown it off – he thought _his_ back would be different because he was in such tremendous shape.

Brennan was in the kitchen, putting their dishes into the dishwasher and putting the leftovers in the fridge so he could have more tomorrow. As she headed back into the living room, she caught sight of Booth, who hadn't heard her coming back. She watched him as he struggled in obvious pain, trying to reach for the glass of water that was sitting on his nearby coffee table. Seeing him struggling and in worse pain, made her feel even more guilty of her own involvement.

Even though the Dr. had told them that it wasn't Brennan's movements to align Booth's spine that had caused the herniation, but rather the disk was already herniating to the point of where the very next thing Booth did at that time, would have resulted in the same immediate worsening of his pain and symptoms.

This basically meant that even if Brennan hadn't been talked into attempting her 'aligning maneuver', that Booth even reaching down to put on one of his colorful socks, would have given him the same agonizing result. "Booth, look at you, I mean you can't even move without your entire face scrunching up in agony. Why is it so hard for you to admit when you need help, and just ask for it? It doesn't make you any less of an Alpha male you know." she chastised him.

Booth just smiled, knowing it was pointless for him to argue with her when she was giving one of her 'Alpha male speeches."

Okay, Booth, I need you to just hear me out for a second – now, even though the Dr. confirmed that technically I could not have actually caused your herniation, I still felt bad seeing you end up in that kind of pain. So, I wanted to do something to help make you feel better, so come let me help you into your bedroom because that's where I need you for what I have in mind." Booth's eyes grew as wide as saucers as he found himself speechless for the first time in ages.

"Come on Booth." she continued as she leaned over the couch where he lay, still staring in disbelief. "I can't do this by myself! She added with authority. At this point every word coming out of her mouth was only _adding_ to Booth's shock, his mind running rampant with imagined scenarios that he had only fantasized about a million times over - during the 4 years that they had partnered with one another.

Finally Booth, although moving along in somewhat of a stupor, raised his arm up over Brennan's shoulder as she helped support him as he stood up from the couch. Together they proceeded towards Booth's room. Being that he woke up in pain that morning, his bed was only half a$$ made. But before he could blink, Brennan had grabbed the comforter and blankets all but yanking them down to the bottom of the bed, letting them fall onto the long mahogany bench that was situated at the foot of Booth's enormous King size bed.

Booth finally snapped out of his bewildered state and spoke, "Um, hey Bones, I think I should at least know what it is that you have in that genius little mind of yours. What exactly are you planning on doing to me?" he said. Booth's demeanor was as awkward as when the subject of sex came up during a case or casual conversation. He considered sex to be very private and personal – which explained his getting uncomfortable whenever he was required to say the word out loud when discussing a case or something.

"Booth, don't worry, I mean it's not like I am going to attack you in your condition!" she said as she rolled her eyes and chuckled at his obvious, uneasy embarrassment. "Oh." Booth replied, sounding rather disappointed. "Okay then, I guess you're in charge and I'll just shut up and let you do your thing. That is, unless you plan on trying to adjust me again! I don't think I could handle a third time in one day."

Brennan said nothing, she simply helped seat him on the edge of the bed and then in typical focused and serious Brennan style, as though she were merely examining another set of skeletal remains, she had removed the support belt he was wearing, then removed his t-shirt, gently pulling it over his head.

Booth seemed to get more uncomfortable as she proceeded, still not sure what she was doing and afraid of what his own body might do, in well . . . in reaction to her . . . ministrations. "Okay, scoot back Booth - so you are all the way onto the bed and then roll over so you are laying on your stomach – can you do that without aggravating anything?" she asked. By now Booth had all but figured out she was most likely going to give him a back massage, probably rubbing some natural remedy on his spasmed ligaments & muscles since he knew she was into that kind of holistic stuff. So he very cautiously did as he was told.

After she left to room for a minute, to retrieve the items she had brought along with her, she came back, crawled up on top of the back of Booth's legs, then she did something that would have probably made him jump right off the bed had he not been so immobilized by the pain he was in. She grabbed a hold of the top waist band of his sweats, that he had left untied all day for sheer comfort, and she yanked them down a little further than Booth felt comfortable. Nothing was exposed or anything but he just hadn't been expecting her to be so . . . aggressive.

"Whoa there Bones – just, whoa! And, what the h3ll?!" he hollered, unsure of what he even could say at that moment.

"Booth, don't be such a prude, I merely needed to gain access to the lumbar section of your spine. If I am going to do this right, I need to provide you with some deep tissue massage to the appropriate area of injury. I brought some special aromatherapy candles that are made to enhance relaxation – and judging at the way your entire body has stiffened up just since I got you in this position – these candles should come in quite handy!"

Booth knew that the clenching of every muscle in his entire body – had more to do with how vulnerable and embarrassed he was just _being_ in this position. What was wrong with him he thought, I should be ecstatic! I mean - it's just me and Bones – alone – and, this is something I have only _dared _to fantasize about. Why **am** I being such a prude – I'm not like that with **any** of the other women I have been with – ever! I am always the take **charge** kind of guy in these situations. So – why am I sooo different – with her?

Then he snapped back into the here and now, listening to the rest of what Brennan was saying.

". . . Tea Tree oils that are infused with Arnica, and together they can reduce pain and inflammation naturally and without side effects."

She lit the candles she had mentioned, putting them on the side tables closest to the bed. She then began to rub the oils deeply into the cement like bars that were supposed to be more supple ligaments and tendons. As she proceeded, using her 'magic' knuckles as Booth had called them, and even her elbows at times, she felt Booth's body finally begin to let go of it's struggle.

Most of the tautness was from the body naturally trying to support the injured spine and out of place vertebrae – but some of the tightness she knew was just Booth tensing up from not being accustomed to being anything but the Alpha male/tough guy. By him allowing her to have this kind of control over his body, it took him a while to finally cease his fight for control over the situation and his injury. As Brennan moved up to ease the muscles in his shoulder & neck region, the upper part of his torso simply suffering from the effects of a natural chain of reaction that came from his upper body being forced to over compensate for his weakened and pained lower torso.

She didn't know whether it was the sensuous smells of aromatherapy, or whether it was merely a matter of being in Booth's bedroom, on his bed, with his half naked body sprawled out underneath her lithe frame – but she was immediately overtaken by her own '_biological urges_' as she called them,

Her own reaction to the smell of the candles, the oils and the naturally amazing scent of Booth himself, completely caught her off guard as she started rubbing his surprisingly soft skin, in a more gentle fashion than she had been.

Now, with a different goal in mind. Brennan knew that her weakened partner wasn't up for a full out tumble in the hay – or a roll in the sheets – or whatever the saying was! But – she knew she just had to be closer to him, now!

She felt as though she wanted to somehow just crawl deep inside this man's very being and surrender to his essence. So she whispered to him to relax, saying she was just going to wipe off some of the oil that had accumulated on her hands – when in reality she had already done that and was now silently removing her own shirt and the underlying lace trimmed bra. She had told Booth once before, that she believed in being spontaneous and aggressive when it came to giving into passion, or sexual urges. So she felt he would most likely not have a problem with this, after all – none of the men she had been with before now, hadn't complained about her impetuous initiative either.

_**Booth's POV . . .**_

~ _Okay Booth, just re-laaax, so what if your partner is sitting on top of your, well – uh, backside – she's merely doing this as a friend who knows how to work with __**all**__ skeletal structures – I mean after all, deep down isn't that pretty much what we all __**are**__?! ~_

After spending about ten minutes completely tensing up every muscle in his body, trying to come to grips with his partner's bold attempt to make him feel better, he finally was too exhausted to keep it up, between those magic hands of hers, that put just the right amount of pressure on his pained back, and the soft light coming from the candles, the scents floating through the air from the oils and such – he could not longer keep the control he had over his own body. He had closed his eyes and all but _melted_ into the sheets below!

He then heard her softly whisper to him to relax and be still, while she took a second to wipe off some of the oils from her hands using a cloth she had brought onto the bed with her. Then all of a sudden Booth felt something on his back that no longer felt like hands. His eyes shot open yet he didn't move so much as a hair on his head while he absorbed what was happening. "Uh, Bones? What exactly are you doing?" he asked her while still laying completely still.

"Ssshhhh, no talking Booth – just relaaxx and enjoy." she said as she moved her own body which was now laying on top of Booth's bare back, moving upwards with her hands slowly roaming up and over the top of his shoulder's - while she leaned her head forward and down to the left side of his head, where she then opened her mouth and grasped one of his ear lobes within her own perfect teeth, nibbling on it with just the right amount of pressure, while her breath flowed warmly into his ear and along his neck.

"Now, Booth's eyes were not only open, but again as wide as saucers. She had caught him so off guard that for the first time in his sexually active adult life - he didn't have a clue as to how he should react! But then just as quickly as he had gone into shock over her unexpected behavior, his natural instincts kicked in and he eased himself slowly underneath her, careful of how he maneuvered his back, then turning his body onto his right side.

Brennan's own body naturally slid off of him to allow for his change in position, where they then just laid there, together, just staring into each other's eyes – arms wrapping more and more tightly around each other.

No words were spoken at all as their faces then came almost smashing together, propelled by their innate attraction to one another, and their lips then locked into one of the most passionate & heartfelt kisses that either of them had ever encountered with _any_ other partner - at _any_ other time in their lives thus far!

_**To Be Continued . . .**_

**A/N: There will probably be one final chapter after this one - for a total of 8. I hope you are all still enjoying the story!**


	8. A Perfect Blend of B & B

**The Bickering B's continued . . . **

**Chapter 8**

_**Booth's POV:**_

Booth was now completely caught up in his untamed craving for her, and the frenzied and heated fury that had all but enveloped he and his partner-turned lover, their desire threatening to swallow them up whole.

He knew in his heart that what they had, and what had slowly been allowed to develop and flourish over time, was genuine love in it's purest form.

Strengthened only by the fact that it wasn't merely a matter of lust or even just an infatuation at this point. It took him a while but he eventually realized that, though they were opposites in almost _every_possible way, they had gradually become more and more in sync with each other to the point that eventually, it became harder and harder for each of them to function as an individual when they were separated from each other.

Booth had been thinking a lot about this lately, he had begun to somewhat analyze the subtle changes he was noticing starting about 8 or 9 months ago. The majority of the changes he was picking up on, had to do with the way they interacted with one another. He began to realize that each of their opposite personality traits, their thought processes and work styles, all seemed to fit together perfectly in unity to create one fine tuned partnership.

He noticed how his own street smarts combined _perfectly_ with Bones' book smarts, his own ability to almost _psychically_ read people, filled in any gaps that were left from the _physical_ details that Bones could not determine by her examination of the victim's bones.

Where Booth's unique strengths made up for any of Bones' weaknesses, Bones' own unique strengths in return, just as perfectly made up for Booth's weaknesses. They have become so accustomed to this combination of their strengths that eventually, neither of them were able to function at 100% of their ability when they were _**apart**_, yet when you brought them_** together **__-_ all of their opposite qualities and traits - melded together into a _**perfect blend**_ making them unstoppable!

Booth felt ecstatic over finally being able to show Temperance Brennan just how mush passion he was capable of and finally allow the desire that he had secretly felt for this woman for sooo long, to finally transpire and hopefully evolve into something even more magical than anything he could have dared to imagine.

_**Brennan's POV . . .**_

Wow, this is so much more amazing than I had even fantasized about, she thought as she allowed her mouth to roam freely all over Booth's magnificent face and body. How could we have denied ourselves of this for so long?! Given all of the talented lovers I have been with in my lifetime, nothing and _no one_ can compare to this, and to . . . _him_.

She was experiencing so many different sensations all at once that it felt as if her every sense was on fire. Whenever her piercing blue eyes looked into his own velvety brown ones, she would get lost completely in their sparkle. She practically melted whenever she laid her eyes upon the crevices of his dimples. Or when her fingertips caressed his body, feeling every ridge of his firm, strong muscles and running them along the defined edges of his chiseled jaw. The seductive whispers of his sultry Alpha Male voice and the hearty laugh that was so uniquely his, were some of the best sounds her ears had ever heard.

Then there was her sense of taste, her lips and tongue were becoming almost addicted to savoring the sweetness of his kisses and the slight salty, yet heavenly taste of his skin and finally her sense of smell that was bombarded with the essence of his aromatic manly scent, a scent that was as unique to him as the sound of his laughter.

"Booth," she finally forced her lips to pull away from his only long enough to utter that single word, then her lips were drawn back to his again, back to the incredible, magnetic draw that seemed to force their lips towards each other as if they had no control whatsoever.

"Your back . . . I don't . . . want. . ." she was having trouble finishing her sentence as Booth's mouth engulfed one of her earlobes, sucking on it while grazing ever so slightly with his teeth. The feeling of his hot breath on her neck and face prevented all coherent thoughts from forming.

"Bones," Booth said as he started trailing her neck with hot, wet kisses, "what do . . . you mean . . . I'm back?" he said as his mouth moved down to rapture her breasts as he began flicking her taut nipple with his tongue. "I'm not . . . goin' . . . . . .**any**where!" He said as he massaged her breasts in return for the one she had given him, snaking one arm around her, circling her back and pulling her closer to his overheating body.

Their hips were forced against each other as their most private parts began to tingle with anticipation of a release that their bodies instinctively craved. Booth felt as though his manhood would explode just by the very touch of their still clothed lower bodies that were aggressively pressing together, her leg had come up and wrapped around his thigh, hooking her bare foot just underneath the curve of his ass.

Brennan arched her head back in pleasure, thrusting her body further into Booth's, which in turn pressed her breast further into his face. "No Boo- . . . . I . . . mean . . . your _spine_!" she forced the words out finally, trying to force her concern back to the forefront where her own lust and need for him had all but taken over. Her head came back towards him, she already missed staring deeply into those eyes that were like pools of chocolate syrup. Her mind seemed to be on autopilot as she struggled to gain control over the animalistic hunger that had all by taken over.

They then both simultaneously forced themselves to stop for just a moment, staring at each other in absolute awe. Both panting heavily from the building passion that had easily raised their heart rates.

Booth leaned his forehead towards hers until it rested against her own forehead, so close that he almost felt he could see beyond her crystal Blues, into the depths of her soul. "Wow, that's all I can say right now, wow." Booth muttered, smiling the biggest full on smile she had ever seen on him.

"I know, Bones replied softly, "I feel the same way. But Booth, I just want our first time to . . . well, to be unrestrained and well, you being free of pain would be nice." she laughed as she let her mouth fall forward searching for his own, lightly peppering kisses all over his well defined mouth. Her lips that had felt cold the moment they had stopped themselves, warmed in an instant.

"I know Bones, I know you are right. He was still laying on his right side, she on her left. Booth brought his left hand up and gently pushed back the hair on the side of her head that had fallen forward, storing it back behind her ear so he could have full view of the her face. Her angelic and perfect face. "I know you are right because my brain is telling me that you are, but there are other . . . parts of my anatomy . . . that are begging my brain to shut the hell up!" he laughed, the laugh that she couldn't get enough of, the sound of which drove her wild. Probably because that meant he was happy and _she _was at her happiest, when she knew that _he_ was.

Brennan was shocked back to her senses when she felt Booth reaching his hands down to undo the buttons of her black jeans, "Hey, was I the only one listening to that conversation we just had?" wondering why he continued to undress her when they had just decided they would wait to take this further. To which Booth grinned his most mischievous grin, continuing with his mission and sliding the metal edges of her zipper, down it's puzzle like path, then reaching his hand in the back of her waistband, cupping her derrière with his large hand and rubbing the smooth skin firmly.

"Well, I figure it is too late for you to go home at this hour, and I also figured that you would be uncomfortable sleeping in denim jeans all night." he then winked at her, with his dimples seemed to be deeper than she had ever seen then – oohhh he was turning his charm up full force, she realized.

"Okay Booth, now you're just not playing fair!" she said as she reached her hand up and rubbed her fingers across the dimples that were now causing her to cave right in. "You think you can just flash your dimples, wink and me and charm me with that dam sexy grin that makes me lose all coherent thought! And I'm just here to tell you that . . ." she stated, trying her best to be firm with him, "that . . . it's . . . okay it's _**working**_! She caved completely as she reached around his back, grabbed the top of his already lowered sweats and white cotton briefs, and pressing her hand into the rounded cheek of his own backside, she used the strength of her forearm to rather frantically, press the material down - freeing his flesh from the cotton material.

She then brought her hands to the front of him, pressing the rest of his sweats all the way down as Booth brought his knees cautiously up and towards her, careful not to move fast and jar his sensitive spine, then using his feet along with her hands, to push the sweats over his feet and off completely.

They weren't kissing, nor were they speaking. They only stared into each other's eyes soaking in the view. Their eyes were speaking volumes conveying what their hearts had longed to say.

Booth proceeded to seductively remove the jeans that held her skin captive from his own flesh. Once they were both freed of every piece of material that acted as a barrier between them, they wrapped their legs around each other, laying there in silence, Booth rubbing his finger in a circular frame around her face, as if tracing the outline so it was permanently etched in his memory.

Booth pulled the pillow out that he had been laying on during his massage, sliding it over to share with his partner, his . . . girlfriend. From there Brennan turned around to spoon her back up against Booth's massive chest. They seemed to fit together perfectly like neither of them had ever noticed in prior relationships, then they simply fell asleep after all, that had been one lonngg and exciting day for both of them. But there was one thing they had failed to notice, they hadn't bickered over _anything_ for over 3 hours so it seemed there was something they both had in common after all, it was their astounding love for each other – and _no one_ could argue with that!

_**Finis'**_


End file.
